Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a medical condition that arises when there's substantial narrowing of the arteries distal to the aortic arch, typically attributed to atherosclerosis

Aetiology

Risk factors

• Smoking
• Diabetes mellitus
• Hypertension
• Hyperlipidaemia, characterised by high total cholesterol and low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels
• Physical inactivity
• Obesity

Clinical features

Symptoms

• Impaired ability to walk
• Pain in the buttocks and thighs, relieved at rest

Signs

• Pale, cold leg
• Hair loss
• Presence of ulcers
• Poorly healing wounds
• Weak or absent peripheral pulses

Investigations